How Caddyshack Helped End The Bill Murray And Chevy Chase Feud

Celebrity feuds have always mystified the general public, just ask Ryan Murphy and FX. Seeing two celebs have open disdain for each other also shows some vulnerability, and allows fans to further connect with their favorite actor or singer. One rivalry that modern audiences might not be aware of its the formerly contentious relationship between SNL alums Chevy Chase and Bill Murray. The two came to blows verbally and even physically when Chase returned to the show to host, and it actually took starring in the hilarious comedy Caddydhack to bring the two together. As revealed in the new book Caddyshack: The Making of a Hollywood Cinderella Story, the scene shared between the two in Carl's crappy apartment did it. Billy Murray was quoted saying:

I'd never really done anything with Chevy. We'd always had sort of a . . . funny relationship. But it was like, 'O.K., I liked that when you did that. Let's just keep going.' We kept going and it was funny because Ty Webb's not far from who Chevy is. So he was pretty comfortable in his space. And I was comfortable as Carl. So he could be free to laugh at me. And if Ty laughed, Carl thought it meant, 'Hey, he's my friend!' It's a really fun, self-aware example of whatever the heck Harold maintains the movie is about --- status.

As Bill Murray tells it, the two actors seemed to use their real life experience to inform their scene-- which was mostly improv. Much of Caddyshack's best lines were invented on the spot, which usually requires a level of trust between scene partners. Eventually Chevy Chase and Billy Murray could appreciate how funny the other one was, which helped them end their long standing conflict.

Of course, Billy Murray wasn't the only person to put his perspective of the events in The Making of a Hollywood Cinderella Story. Chevy Chase also spoke to their relationship now, revealing that he believes its a shining moment for Murray in particular. As he tells it (via Sports Illustrated),

We got over everything. The tension was short-lived. I have nothing but admiration and affection for Bill. He still can be a surly character, to say the least. But ultimately he's a good guy. Even though I'm the number one star in the movie under the title, I'll always think of Caddyshack as Billy's movie.

The scene in question was written into the movie late in the process, with Bill Murray having to get special permission to leave Saturday Night Live for a few days in order to fly out for it. It's played to perfection by both actors, as Carl attempts to bond with Ty, while the protagonist drops subtle jabs and gets thoroughly intoxicated in the process.

As a reminder check out the scene below.

So good. You really could never tell how much Bill Murray and Chevy Chase disliked each other at the time, and their respective comedic chops are what make Caddyshack the modern classic it is.

Caddyshack: The Making of a Hollywood Cinderella Story is currently available for pre-order.